I find Peter Swanson’s writing to be unique because although his books are from the same genre, each own has a different style of writing. With that said, I definitely like some more than others. Unfortunately, this fell into the latter category. The first 70% or so was ok and held my interest. I liked the premise and the very creepy remote island setting with no electricity, access to the internet or cell phone service. I hadn’t a clue as to which direction the plot was headed so I wasn’t entirely invested in the outcome but I kept reading. I found the last 30% to be completely implausible to the point of being downright silly at times. It was definitely different but it just didn’t make any sense to me. Not my favorite.

If I had not read any of Peter Swanson's previous books, I probably would have rated this one higher than I did. As it stands, I have read them and this one just isn't as clever or as intriguing as the brilliant The Kind Worth Killing or some of his others.

I found Every Vow You Break to be fairly predictable. I didn't really like any of the characters, they all did horrible things and lied about them. I know we're supposed to root for Abigail, but when the book starts off with her recalling cheating on her fiancé during her bachelorette weekend, I couldn't get on her side. I pretty much figured out all of the twists before they happened, and some of the events are just downright silly. The ending...well it is kind of a head shaker/eye roller.

Overall though, it's not a terrible book, it's just not one of Swanson's best. I think it would make a fantastic movie, especially one where you yell things at the screen like "Why are you doing that?" "Don't go in there!" "Don't trust him!"

This was a fast-paced and unputdownable thriller. It was mildly predictable but I did enjoy it, nonetheless I like Swanson's writing style as a psychological thriller writer.

Beware of tech bros with their own private island.

I’m generally a big fan of Peter Swanson but this was just...yuck.

If you’re a fan of cult stuff (I am not) you’ll probably like this one more than I did. As with Swanson’s previous novels, it’s creepy and very well-paced, but where his previous work was sharp and clever, this one just felt cheap and gross.

Sadistic rich men torturing women just rates way too high on the Ick factor for me. And though the ending is satisfying enough, it comes at a pretty high cost, and the whole story felt gross and quite frankly, beneath Swanson’s usual clever creepiness. Parts of this book felt more like a horror novel than a suspense/thriller, and not in a good way.

Huge trigger warning for domestic abuse and torture.

Do yourself a favor and skip this one. Reread the fantastic The Kind Worth Killing instead.

This was a high tension fast paced thriller that compels a binge read. The premise is interesting, Abigail who is engaged to a millionaire, has a one night stand with a stranger at her bachelorette weekend who then appears to be stalking her. Despite this, Bruce and Abigail marry and arrive on a remote island for their honeymoon where strange things begin happening and the tension rapidly escalates. The creepy undertones and unsettling vibes do keep the reader on the edge of their seat, however I was disappointed with the unlikeable characters and predictable plot twists. Despite the engrossing atmosphere and sinister slow burn I found It difficult to be invested in any of the characters and highly predictable. Unfortunately this was an underwhelming miss for me.

When Abigail meets Bruce it seems that all of the problems in her life will be resolved. On her bachelorette weekend, however, she meets a man that she cheats with, and now that man seems to be stalking her. Her honeymoon turns into a game of cat and mouse as she’s not linger sure who she can trust, and whether she’ll make it home alive.

Abigail Baskin never thought she’d fall in love with a millionaire. Then she met Bruce Lamb. He’s a good guy, stable, level-headed, kind—a refreshing twist from her previous relationships.But right before the wedding, Abigail has a drunken one-night stand on her bachelorette weekend. She puts the incident—and the sexy guy who wouldn’t give her his real name—out of her mind. When the mysterious stranger reappears, Abigail's future is suddenly turned upside down. Does she tell Bruce and ruin their marriage? Or should she handle this psychopathic stalker on her own? review: I have been a long time fan of Peter Swanson and recommend The Kind Worth Killing often, however, his latest novel is a complete miss for me! This author has always had a way with captivating you from the very start of his books, but this one didn't hook me at any point in the book. This book felt a bit disjointed, had unexplained holes in the plot and honestly didn't feel like his work at all. The first half of the book was really slow, had a lot of character building and felt repetitive. The second half was far fetched and implausible, making it hard to finish. I kept reading, hoping that something would change my mind and it would turn into a page turner like his other books, but sadly that never happened. Unfortunately this isn't a book I would recommend. rating: 2 out of 5 ⭐️

I can't believe that one of my favorite authors wrote this book! I hate writing this review, but this book was so out of sorts.

The first half was like a bad women's fiction, repetitive and uninteresting.

The second half was even worse, nothing thrilling, but definitely ridiculous. I did manage to finish this book. I wanted to give it a chance (chapter after chapter), wondering if it would suddenly surprise me and turn into that Swanson page turner (sadly, no). I would like to read his next book to see if its more on tract with his past novels!

Lacking and predictable in so many ways. Throw in a creepy bunch of friends/cult and a honeymoon with so many unexplained plot holes and why not just add some graphic encounters?!

I would love to hear others thoughts about this book.

This is the fourth book I've read by Peter Swanson and, while not my favorite, I enjoyed it very much. What I liked, even loved, about this book is that the protagonist was strong and highly competent. I'm getting a little tired of the secretly psychotic husband in a Wicker Man-like setting trope and this book could have easily been a disappointment if the character had been weak. Instead she was a problem solver and that made the second half of the book very enjoyable.

Abigail Baskin is about to get married to a man who will be a wonderful partner. Bruce is thoughtful, smart, and wealthy. But, at her bachelorette party Abigail has a one-night stand with a total stranger. Although she feels ashamed, she puts the episode behind her, believing it is all in the past…until the stranger, who’s name she doesn’t even know, contacts her, appears at the wedding, and then follows her to her honeymoon at an island resort. Abigail must now face the reality that her new husband might very well decide to end their marriage before it’s hardly begun and, at the same time, she is beginning to feel that there is something very wrong with their honeymoon hideaway.

Every Vow You Break is a psychological thriller that was a bit of a disappointment. At first, I found it difficult to become involved in the story. Then there was a period of time that I found it to be quite interesting. But that didn’t last very long, as the final twists unfolded. Furthermore, none of the characters, including Abigail, were particularly appealing, the overall premise of the book was a little off-putting, and the trajectory of the story just felt wrong. The plot twists were implausible and at times Abigail’s behavior wasn’t very believable either.

Like many other readers, I truly enjoyed Mr Swanson’s last book, Eight Perfect Murders. However, his latest attempt just didn’t quite resonant with me. But, I haven’t given up and I’m looking forward to the next book by this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This was twisted and dark, as I have come to expect from Peter Swanson. I was really excited for this new book from him and he didn’t disappoint. I found myself putting off things I needed to get done in order to have more reading time to finish. I couldn’t wait to find out what happen. The twists weren’t exactly what I expected, but I enjoyed the ride. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Every Vow you Break by Peter Swanson.
A new to me author.
Didn't know what to expect with this book.
This book was good even though I had issues with how it ended. I'll try other books by author.

⚡️every vow you break review⚡️

First off I wanted to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Abigail has just married her husband - the good guy millionaire who adores her. She’s on a luxurious honeymoon, ready to start this new chapter of her life. But when her one night stand from her bachelorette party shows up to the island, the perfect honeymoon begins to unravel.

I want to start off by saying I really, really wanted to love this book. I’ve heard so many great things about Peter Swanson’s books and I mean that COVER (swipe for a peek).

Starting with the positives - the book was fast paced and the environment building was perfect. I felt the ominous aesthetic and danger set in from the very beginning. The building of suspense was artfully done.

Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book. about halfway through I had a pretty good idea of where the plot was going, but somehow the execution was even more ridiculous and far fetched than what I envisioned. the stakes evaporated for me because a) I didn’t like any of the characters... at all. especially the main character and b) my suspension of disbelief didn’t really stretch far enough for me to feel tension.

The writing was great, and I can see with a different story line how I would really enjoy Peter Swanson’s works. The theme of the book was an attempt at a feminist thriller that in premise, was great, I just couldn’t get behind the end result. however, I will definitely give his books another go!

2.5 stars. A fun read but the criticisms couldn’t outweigh the positives on this one for me.

As a pre-existing fan of Peter Swanson's other novels, I didn't need to read the summary to know I would read Every Vow You Break. While the premise seems far-fetched, Swanson's characters have distinct personalities that add an extra level of suspense to the novel. As readers, you don't get a third person omniscient narrator; you're finding out details and unraveling connections as Abigail Baskin-Lamb experiences them. The novel begins with Abigail on a bachelorette weekend with her girlfriends before her marriage to Bruce Lamb; she's having cold feet and is slightly distraught by the nagging feeling that her husband to be still feels like a kind, generous, stranger. As it turns out, that nagging feeling might just save her life while she's on the honeymoon from hell on an old campground turned technology-free resort. It'll definitely keep you on your toes, but be prepared to suspend your disbelief.

A woman marries a man she barely knows. He happens to be very wealthy. On her bachelorette trip, which he arranged, she has a one night stand with a stranger.

April thinks she loves Bruce and not just for his money. After the wedding, he takes her on a honeymoon to a lodge on an island in Maine, owned and run by a friend of his. Things take a dark turn very quickly after she spots a woman covered in blood and can not get any answers from the owner of the lodge.

The atmosphere and descriptions of the island are excellent. The story line itself is not very believable and as such was hard to invest in. A quick easy read.

Plot: During her bachelorette weekend Abigail Baskins has a drunken one-night stand with a stranger. When she returns to NYC she tries to put the night behind her and proceed with marrying her millionaire husband, Bruce Lamb. Then the mysterious stranger she slept with suddenly appears in her life and follows her and her new husband on their honeymoon on an isolated island off the coast of Maine. However, this is just one of the many creepy occurrences that happen on the island.

Thoughts: I love a creepy thriller and this book delivered. The mood was very gloomy. The setting of the island felt cloudy and dark the entire time, intensifying the dread. It read very movie-like and the story was interesting because you think you’re getting just another stalker story, but it ends up being much more than that. My main issue was the characterization of Abigail as a manic pixie dream girl, at least at the start of the book, which is a major eye roll. I also felt like the ending dragged on a bit. Overall, this book was a fun, quick, suspend your disbelief kind of read. It had a lot of ‘The Invisible Man’ 2020 movie energy, so if you enjoyed that movie I’d give it a go!

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow and Custom House for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Well I didn’t see that coming!

Honestly… this one took a turn. A complete 180 for me. Like it makes sense, but at the same time it’s freaking outlandish. I love books like that!

Now let’s talk about plot baybee- I read this one pretty close to HER DARK LIES and at first I was worried that it would be similar. It’s not-like at all. This one focuses on the honeymoon more than the actual wedding. From the synopsis I already knew this one was gonna be messed up- and it was definitely that. The beginning reminded me of my favorite thriller (also by Swanson) THE KIND WORTH KILLING while the latter parts brought The Parent Trap and THE LAST TIME I LIED to my mind. While HER DARK LIES is more of a ‘lighter’ read, I found EVERY VOW YOU BREAK to be more dense- the setting also helped with that.

Speaking of setting, an isolated island in the middle of the dense woods does not scream idyllic honeymoon to me. But hey to each their own. I blame almost every thriller I read- because an innocent copse of trees is now a sinister death trap to my mind. I did like the images of a luxurious lodge juxtaposed with the eerie woods though. And that pool?! I’d find it claustrophobic, but also awesome.

Okay, now we get to the part that I’ve been wanting to write; the characters.

Abigail- girl, you totally aren’t ready to get married. And I don’t blame you! Bruce was a little too intense from right off the bat. She is flawed and not totally blameless. At one point, I was screaming at her in my head. Also at one point, I totally thought Swanson was going to make her an unreliable narrator and I internally sighed.

Bruce- Ummm… SO MANY RED FLAGS! Seriously- as I was reading his soliloquy (IYKYK) I kept saying red flag, Red Flag, RED FLAG!

Scottie/Eric- if there’s a mashup of ‘Issues’ by Julia Michaels and ‘Scotty Doesn’t Know’ by Lustra it would be this dude’s theme song.

As I said earlier, the denouement, (I’m extra- deal with it) freaking threw me for a loop. Don’t @ me for that being a spoiler, because I NEED TO GET IT OUT THERE!

The resolution explained A LOT and to me it felt like it came a little fast, but that’s probably because I read it super fast also.

Mash ups: THE KIND WORTH KILLING, The Parent Trap, THE LAST TIME I LIED and Every Breath You Take by The Police.

Thank you to #netgalley and #williammorrowbooks for this copy !

This was my first Peter Swanson book and I loved it!
I’m a sucker for stalker books and this one did not disappoint. I was hooked from chapter one and did not want to put it down. When will people realize that affairs with strangers in strange places never end well. If you love stalker books like me then check this one out !

New to me author, Peter Swanson delivers a twisty domestic thriller with Every Vow You Break. The story centers on Abigail Baskin, soon to be Abigail Lamb, in the final before her wedding to millionaire Bruce Lamb. There were moments that I definitely felt that the move from Baskin to Lamb was foreboding.

The story opens with Abigail spotting the man she drunkenly slept with on her Californian bachelorette weekend. She's now back in New York for the final prep of her wedding, wondering if her betrayal could be kept a secret. But contact from Scottie, 3 days before her wedding, puts her on edge. As celebrations start, the wedding goes off without a hitch, and she finds herself on a mysterious island where she and Bruce will enjoy their honeymoon. Well, that's the plan. But she quickly comes to understand nothing is as it seems, including her new husband.

This dark and sinister read has many twists and I very much enjoyed the nonstop guessing maintained up until the very in. 4 stars and recommendation.

I've read every book written by this author and he's usually got a surprise or two tucked within the pages of his mystery/thrillers. This was no exception, but it will require a huge suspension of disbelief at the unbelievable twisted turn the novel takes after a very slow build in the first half.

Abigail Baskin's wedding to the very wealthy Bruce Lamb is in three weeks, and she heads off to her bachelorette weekend with friends to a lovely winery that her fiance has paid for. While there, she gets drunk (!), flirts with a stranger she meets on the patio, and ends up sleeping with him. As she hads back to begin her life of luxury with Bruce, she puts the one-night stand out of her mind, rationalizing it, and determined never to let Bruce know that she was having a bit of cold feet about the upcoming marriage. After a lovely wedding, the bride and groom head off to the honeymoon that Bruce has carefully planned -- the remote and secluded Heart Pond Island, accessible by plane and off the coast of Maine. The honeymoon starts off well, but then Abigail notices that Bruce is just a little too familiar with the place and that she is one of only a handful of women there with the rest of the guests and staff being male. Then, suddenly, that one-night-stand appears on the island begging to speak with her, insisting that they share a connection, and threatening to tell Bruce about what happened at the California winery. Abigail is freaked out and very worried. NO SPOILERS.

I probably would have liked this better if I'd found one shred of sympathy and care for Abigail. She was a complete twit and that made it very difficult to buy into the antics she gets up to later in the story. In short, there was no one to root for and my jaw dropped when I saw where the plot was going. So, a disappointing read but probably more-so since I had such high expectations going in and had save this for a long time to read closer to publication date.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for this e-book ARC to read and review. I've not given up on Peter Swanson, and hope this was just the wrong one for me at this time.